Systems and Methods for Surveillance and Traffic Monitoring (Claim Set II)

Abstract

System, methods, and computer program products are provided for surveillance, traffic monitoring, and red light enforcement. In one embodiment, the system may monitor zones of interest; capture, time stamp, and store images of the zones of interest; determine that an event has occurred within one of the zones of interest; and request the stored images of the zone of interest during the time the event occurred.

1 . An event monitoring system comprising:
 a first imaging device configured to
 capture a first set of images of a first surveillance zone; 
 time stamp the first set of captured images respectively in accordance with a corresponding network time; and 
 store the first set of captured images in a temporary memory storage area of the first imaging device; 
   an event monitoring computing device comprising one or more processors configured to
 determine when an event occurs proximate the first surveillance zone; 
 generate and transmit an event message indicating (a) that an event has occurred proximate the first surveillance zone and (b) the time the event occurred in accordance with the corresponding network time; 
   a control computing device comprising one or more memory storage areas and one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to
 request a subset of the first set of images of the first surveillance zone from the temporary memory storage area of the first imaging device and store the first set of images in the one or more memory storage areas of the control computing device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors of the event monitoring computing device are further configured to wirelessly transmit the event messages to the control computing device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a second imaging device configured to
 capture a second set of images of a second surveillance zone, wherein the first surveillance zone is within the second surveillance zone;   time stamp the second set of captured images respectively in accordance with corresponding the network time; and   store the second set of captured images in a temporary memory storage area of the second imaging device.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors of the control computing device are further configured to request a subset of the second set of images of the second surveillance zone from the temporary memory storage area of the second imaging device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors of the control computing device are further configured to store the subset of the first set of images of the first surveillance zone and the subset of the second set of images of the second surveillance zone. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second imaging devices are further configured to allow remote access via a network. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the temporary memory storage areas of the first and second imaging devices comprise circular buffers. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first set of images of the first surveillance zone comprise narrow angle images. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first set of images of the first surveillance zone comprise wide angle images. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the network time is established by synchronizing the first imaging device, the second imaging device, the event monitoring computing device, and the control computing device via a network time protocol (NTP). 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors of the control computing device are further configured to generate an evidence package comprising at least a portion of the first and second sets of images. 
     
     
         12 . An event monitoring system comprising:
 a first imaging device configured to
 capture a first set of images of a first surveillance zone; 
 time stamp the first set of captured images respectively in accordance with a corresponding network time; and 
 store the first set of captured images in a temporary memory storage area of the first imaging device; 
   a control computing device comprising one or more memory storage areas and one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to
 determine when an event occurs proximate the first surveillance zone in accordance with the corresponding network time; 
 request a subset of the first set of images of the first surveillance zone from the temporary memory storage area of the first imaging device and store the first set of images in the one or more memory storage areas of the control computing device. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a second imaging device configured to
 capture a second set of images of a second surveillance zone, wherein the first surveillance zone is within the second surveillance zone;   time stamp the second set of captured images respectively in accordance with corresponding the network time; and   store the second set of captured images in a temporary memory storage area of the second imaging device.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors of the control computing device are further configured to request a subset of the second set of images of the second surveillance zone from the temporary memory storage area of the second imaging device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors of the control computing device are further configured to store the subset of the first set of images of the first surveillance zone and the subset of the second set of images of the second surveillance zone. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second imaging devices are further configured to allow remote access via a network. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the temporary memory storage areas of the first and second imaging devices comprise circular buffers. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first set of images of the first surveillance zone comprise narrow angle images. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first set of images of the first surveillance zone comprise wide angle images. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the network time is established by synchronizing the first imaging device, the second imaging device, and the control computing device via a network time protocol (NTP). 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors of the control computing device are further configured to generate an evidence package comprising at least a portion of the first and second sets of images.